1. Field of Art
This invention relates to apparatus and method used in connection with the loading/unloading and transporting of goods. In particular, this invention relates to a telescoping equipment or tool basket adapted to accommodate equipment and tools of differing lengths. The invention has particular, although not exclusive, application to operations connected with the oil and gas exploration, production, development, and transportation industries, especially offshore operations.
2. Related Art
While the present invention has broad and general application to the loading, unloading, and transportation of equipment to and from a variety of locations, as a matter of convenience (and not limitation) the invention and methods of its use will be described in connection with “offshore” operations related to the petroleum industry. Offshore operations, meaning those in ocean or inland waters, have become quite widespread. Drilling, production, development, and transportation operations are all included in offshore operations. Further, while the invention has applicability to both offshore and onshore operations, it has particular applicability to offshore operations, where equipment is transported by a vessel to/from a shore base and offshore work locations, and must be loaded/offloaded at both ends of the journey.
Equipment (commonly referred to as “tools”) of various types and dimensions must frequently be transported back and forth from shore bases to offshore platforms, drilling rigs, and other offshore structures. Typically, the equipment is loaded into containers commonly known as “tool baskets,” which are then picked up by a crane and placed onto a vessel to be brought offshore or to the shorebase, as the case may be. Tool baskets are typically elongated containers, with at least two sides and a bottom, with padeyes and the like to permit attachment of lift slings. Once the vessel has arrived at the desired location, a crane on the platform, drilling rig, etc. lifts the tool basket onto the offshore structure. Obviously, the procedure is reversed when tools are sent from an offshore location to a shorebase.
Problems arise in providing tool baskets that can accommodate various size (particularly as to length) tools that may be brought offshore. A common situation is the necessity to transport logging tools, which may be of different lengths, and some of which may be very long. While it is recognized that a closed end basket—one comprising not only a bottom and two sides, but also two ends, and of sufficient length that the tools fit entirely within the basket—is desirable, accommodating the differing tool lengths traditionally required an inventory of different length baskets. A solution in the past has been to provide tool baskets comprising a bottom and two sides only, that is to say are “open ended.” Such tool baskets can of course accommodate many different lengths of tools, as those longer than the basket simply extend beyond the open ends of the tool basket.
However, potential dangers associated with lifts of loaded, open ended tool baskets can be readily appreciated. Particularly when loading and offloading vessels to/from offshore structures, heavy seas, winds and the like are sometimes experienced, with resulting vessel movement, swaying of loads, etc. For safety reasons, both as to personnel and equipment, it is desired to have closed end baskets in the sense that the baskets have four sides, to reduce the chances of equipment sliding out an open end, even though fastened via tie downs, etc. However, as previously described, that requirement leads to the need for multiple tool baskets of different lengths, so that the user has at his disposal a closed tool basket of an appropriate length for the tools to be placed therein. In addition to safety concerns, it is desirable to have a tool basket that supports the tool, over substantially its entire length. Very long, limber tools extending beyond a tool basket are in danger of being bent, broken, or otherwise damaged.
A solution to the requirement of having multiple fixed length baskets is a tool basket that can be telescoped to a desired length, preferably a length that closely matches the length of the tools. In addition, the telescoping structure must be quite robust, to withstand typically rough treatment in the offshore environment, yet one which is readily adjustable to the desired length.